Cataras del Iguazu: Ticket to paradise

We've been talking about going to Iguazu ever since we arrived to Buenos Aires. And finalmy, the day arrived. We woke up early on Saturday. Arrived at the airport still sleepy. Nice flight. So far everything as planned. But, our magical mystery tour had a first and unpredictable chapter: since we arrived earlier than expected to Iguazu, the pilot decided to... fly over the waterfalls! that's right! Instead of arriving earlier at the airport, he decided to take us, all passengers aboard, to fly just above the waterfalls! It was amazing. 

Then, the airport. Iguazu is located in Misiones, a northeast Argentinian province, and it's the frontier with both Paraguay and Brasil. The name Iguazú comes from the Guarani or Tupi words "y" [ɨ], meaning "water", and "ûasú "[waˈsu], meaning "big". Legend has it that a deity planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In a rage, the deity sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.

Luckily, we didn't fall anywhere. We just enjoyed the "divine" aspect. So, hotel was great. Beautiful bedrooms, breakfast had everything! Bedrooms and the hotel itself were like a mini jungle! We had very good pasta and off we went.

Our official Iguazu adventure started with "Aripuca". Aripuca is a small ecological theme park just outside Puerto Iguazú which is a part of the history, traditions, and natural environment of the indigenous Guarani people, many of whom still speak their native tongue while living in equilibrium with nature. The site gets its name from its main structure, a large aripuca, or trap used for sustainable hunting. The structure was built from wooden logs from some 30 native tree species reclaimed from illegal trade or purchased from mills, so no new trees were cut in building the attraction. We later had some very peculiar Gelatto of particular flavors like Yerba Mate (!).

Next day: CATARATAS DEL IGUAZU! Finally. We had two really nice and helpful local guides: Laura and Nieves. We also got to see a lot of the particular fauna of Iguazu: cappuccino monkeys, coatíes, jotes!

And... Cataratas del Iguazu. Iguazu Falls... WHAT TO SAY! Iguazu Falls on the Argentine side has the largest tourist portion of the national park (it is shared with Brazil, on the other side of the frontier). A Natural World Heritage since 1984 and one of the 7 Natural World Wonder since 2011, the Iguazu Falls National Park is a unique natural universe. Full of life, abundant vegetation and more than 250 waterfalls, among them the Devil's Throat, falling more than 82 meters high; it is the ideal place to connect with nature. It is said that upon seeing Iguazu, back then, the United States First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly exclaimed, "Poor Niagara!"(which, at 50 m or 165 feet, are a third shorter). But the truth is... words just can't do justice here so, it's much better to just take a look at the images...

It's been really something... moving, thrilling, amazing. And luckily we had beautiful days and weather. This has been a real highlight, but, most of all, it has been an unforgettable experience for everybody.